Search engines typically work by providing a simple text box within a graphical user interface (FIG. 1 and Appendix A). In order to conduct a search, a user must compose keywords by entering the desired text, and then direct the search engine to search for documents containing those keywords by, for example, pressing the enter key or clicking a mouse on a “search” box. If a user wishes to retrieve information relevant to a particular date, or time, the user must enter that date into the text box and run the search.
Electronic calendars are known which allow a user to enter scheduled appointments and other events into boxes or some other graphical representation of a unit of time, such as a day. However, such calendars typically only contain information input by a user. Thus, in order to be useful, a user of known electronic calendars must frequently update calendar information by manually inputting new or changing events.
Thus, there remains a need in the field for a graphical user interface which provides an electronic calendar, and further allows a user to retrieve date- or time-specific information over the Web with a single command.
The present disclosure is directed to a graphical user interface and a computer system that overcome the aforesaid and other disadvantages of the prior art.
In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a graphical user interface for performing a web search by a computer device, which includes a computer-readable memory unit and a processor, and includes an arrangement of cells configured to be displayed on the computer device, each cell representative of a calendar unit of time, wherein said cells are configured to display results of a web search upon selection of a cell by a user, wherein said web search is performed based on the unit of time represented by the selected cell.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a computer system that includes a computer-readable memory unit and a processor coupled to the memory unit, the processor configured to: provide a graphical image representing a search engine interface for display on a screen of the computer system, wherein the search engine interface comprises an arrangement of cells, each cell representative of a calendar unit of time; cause performance of a search, upon selection of a particular cell, wherein said search is based on the unit of time represented by the selected cell; and display the results of the search.
More particularly, the present disclosure provides a calendar-based search engine, which in its simplest form, uses the traditional calendar as the principal means of search, with each unique date operating as a unique search engine. By selecting a date (the specific calendar “box” or “cell” or number of a traditional monthly calendar), this date-specific search engine retrieves all web-based information specific to the selected date.
The features, functions and advantages that have been discussed can be achieved independently in various embodiments of the present disclosure or may be combined in yet other embodiments, further details of which can be seen with reference to the following descriptions and drawings.